EAST LANSING — Experienced, big, aggressive and complicated, the Stanford defense has Michigan State co-offensive coordinator Dave Warner considering his options carefully as he game plans for the Rose Bowl.

There is plenty of evidence of what doesn't work against the Cardinal defense, which is No. 1 in the Pac-12 in total defense, No. 1 in rush defense, No. 1 in third-down conversion defense and No. 8 in pass defense.

The No. 4-ranked Spartans (12-1) have not seen a defense like they'll be confronted with in the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl against No. 5 Stanford (11-2).

"They're an attack defense, they're very complicated,'' Warner said. "I think Connor (Cook) needs to have confidence in those around him protecting him in the pass game, first and foremost, because they're going to put some heat on you in the pass game, and they're good at it. Again, from different, complicated defensive fronts.

"(Cook) needs to handle those and, again, be confident in the protection around him. Be able to execute the pass game, I think, is probably the big thing.''

Murphy, who had 14 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss, recorded two more more sacks in five games this season and had at least one sack in nine of Stanford's 13 games.

Skov led the Pac-12 with 100 tackles, including 56 solos. Skov had 10 tackles for loss and 10 QB hurries.

In the front seven of the Cardinal's 3-4 alignment, six of the starters are seniors, explaining how they're able to be effective shifting into and out of so many looks.

Further, the smallest player in that front seven is inside backer A.J. Tarpley, at 6-foot-2, 238 pounds.

"They've got variations of many different fronts,'' Warner said. "Again, a lot of nickel packages. On the back end they're a little bit more of a pro‑style secondary, and they're going to play deep safeties. You know, they are going to fire zone, zone blitz a little bit, a fair amount, and pump backers through there.

"But the complexity, I guess, just comes from how many different fronts they play and where they move guys, because they have guys playing all over the place.''

Arizona State has averaged 41 points and 460.8 yards per game — it put up 34 points and 427 yards in a 37-34 loss to Notre Dame this season — but against Stanford in the Pac-12 title game, the Devils struggled.

Arizona State had just 311 total yards in the 38-14 loss to the Cardinal on Dec. 7.

Oregon, a team many expected to play for the national title, averaged 573 yards and 46.8 points per game this season.

But Stanford shut down the Ducks' ground attack, limiting Oregon to just 62 yards rushing on 24 carries and 312 yards of total offense in a 26-20 victory.

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio, who won a national championship as Ohio State's defensive coordinator in 2002, has an appreciation for what he sees from Stanford, indicating he seems similarities to the Spartans.

"I see a lot of parallels,'' Dantonio said. "When you look at Stanford, they're a football team that's going to get it done fundamentally. I think they play with a tough mindset.''